Labels:text | font | black and white | paper | number | white | document OCR: In the modern world, of course, Oak Oak Tips economic forces have worked against Adding oak barrel chips to the secon- By William Moore oak barrels. Oak barrels are extremely labor intensive to construct, clean, and dary is safer than adding the chips to maintain, and will not easily hold todays the primary fermenter, as even 20 beer carbonation levels. Fortunately, minutes of steaming in a vegetable Throughout history, economic forces we can borrow a technique from Califor- cooker may not kill all bacteria, and have shaped the flavor of beer. As far nia wine makers and add oak as an in- wort is less susceptible to contamination back as ancient Egypt, brewers used gredient in the form of oak barrel chips. after it has partially fermented barley instead of wheat as a source of Oak chips are easily measurable and can fermentable sugars, wheat being in be steam sterilized or toasted before Use 2 to 8 oz. of oak chips per 5 gallons, greater demand by the bakers and there- use. In addition, they are inexpensive 2 oz. for a very light accent, and 8 oz. for fore commanding a higher price. Wheat enough to throw out after steeping in a pronounced oak flavor. The longer beer surfaced later in Europe, because beer, avoiding the difficult task of the oak is in contact with beer, the farmers had a hard time separating the sterilizing oak saturated with yeast. heavier the flavor, so use 35% less chips barley from the volunteer wheat in their if you plan to bulk age the beer in con- malting barley fields. Hops were first tact with oak for a month or more. used in Germany in the 12th century, not for flavoring, but as a preservative Try toasting oak chips for a crisper oak that allowed beer to shipped and stored character. Place the chips on a cookie without spoiling. The preserving nature sheet and put in a preheated 350' F. of hop alpha acid became vital to beer oven for around 25 minutes, until they commerce as brewing became more darken slightly in color. Toasting also centralized throughout Europe, and has the advantage of eliminating the hops were an integral part of beer by the need to steam sterilize the chips before 17th century. Concurrent with the adding to the wort. rising use of hops, brewers adopted the oak cask as the most economic con- tainer for their now less perishable The flavor of oak will complement al- Oak chips are well behaved in the fer- most any full-flavored beer, although it menter; they start out floating on the beers, and the spicy flavor of oak seeped is perhaps most welcome in stronger surface but become saturated and sink into beer during storage. In the twen- tieth century, of course, oak barrels ales and barley wines, highly hopped to the bottom after 8 to 10 days. This have proven to be economically imprac- beers that deepen in flavor when oak is results in a yeast sediment covered with tical when compared with stainless added. The India-style pale ale recipe oak chips, which inhibits the silty yeast from kicking up during beer transfer. steel and glass containers, and the below is ideally suited for the spicy char- woody - spicy flavor of oak, with a few acter of oak. Oak chips should not be added to a exceptions, has disappeared from com- mercial beers. Oak adds a rich com- India Ale 'blow off" style fermenter, as they could easily clog the blow off tube, possibly plexity to beer, joining with hop flavor 6 lbs. American Light resulting in a carboy explosion and per- to add a spicy balance to the sweet malt. 1 lb. American Amber Dry Malt sonal injury. Fortunately for the home brewer, oak 1 lb. crushed Amber Crystal flavor can be imparted by steeping oak 1 1/2 oz. Northern Brewer (flavoring) barrel chips in beer, a simple method 1 oz. Mt Hood hop pellets (aroma) compared with using labor-intensive and 2 tsp. gypsum costly oak barrels 1 English Brewery Ale yeast 3 oz. oak chips Historically, the beer with the most 4 1/2 oz. corn sugar (priming) pronounced oak flavor may of been India pale ale, a stronger, more highly hopped version of pale ale. India pale ale Brew according to your own method, or was originally developed by the British, see my book Home Beermaking for who needed a beer that could survive basic brewing directions. After 3 days the long, sometimes warm, voyage to of primary fermentation, transfer the their then colony of India. Oak casks beer to a sterilized secondary (a Prim- were of course used, and the flavor of ing Tank with a Siphonless lid and air- oak permeated the ale during the lock works well). Sterilize the oak chips several months at sea, perhaps aided by by steaming them in a vegetable the gentle rocking action in the ships steamer for 20 minutes, and add to the hold. Today, probably the best example secondary. Seal the secondary and leave of oak flavor in commercial beer is for 7 to 9 days before checking for final Ballantine's India Pale Ale, a strong pale gravity which should be between 1.010 ale made with Bullion hops and aged in and 1.014. Bottle and age 4 weeks in a oak tanks before bottling. cool dark place.
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